Automotive fuel systems typically include a reservoir in the fuel tank and a primary fuel pump submerged in the reservoir to supply fuel to the engine. The purpose of the reservoir is to keep the primary pump inlet submerged under operating conditions which could otherwise expose the inlet, such as when the vehicle is parked on an incline with an almost empty fuel tank or during cornering maneuvers wherein fuel moves away from the fuel inlet. A secondary pump is dedicated to filling the reservoir. In such systems, the primary pump delivers fuel from the reservoir to the engine and the secondary pump delivers fuel from the tank to the reservoir. In addition, filters may be used in cooperation with the inlet to the pumps to filter any contaminants in the fuel. The reservoir, fuel pumps and other components are typically, collectively referred to as a fuel delivery module, which will be used herein.
The inventors of the present invention have recognized certain disadvantages with these systems. For example, because the inlets to the primary and secondary pumps may require a filter, the fuel delivery module may include a large number of associated component parts resulting in a relatively large size to accommodate the components and filters. In addition, the filters may become prematurely occluded with contaminants due to the relatively large amount of contaminants that may be contained within the fuel, thereby decreasing the service life of the filter. Also, these filters may not be effective in filtering relatively small contaminants, which may prematurely wear the components of the primary pump, such as the fuel pump impeller, as well as adversely effect the fuel system. Thus, it is desirable to collect and trap contaminants in the fuel prior to the contaminants reaching the inlet to the primary pump.